Awkward Silence,,,
by MelodiousBloodshed
Summary: What is one supposed to do when their best friend needs them to go to a music award ceremony and nothing is going right? Call in their Master, of course. Balthazar and Dave lovin', kissing and such. Nice!Becky, Uke!Dave, Ninja!Balthazar...kinda.


"DANGIT!" Dave yelled, abound his dresser drawer shut, "Why can't I find a nice shirt?" He wanted to look nice. If he couldn't 'feel' for Becky like he used to, he'd at least do his duty to her loyalty by accompanying her to this radio award thing like a good friend. Lately, that's all he could be for her-he felt like scum for it, too. He'd liked her for years-YEARS-only to discover magic and lose interest. Magic had become his passion-his life, and his dreams. As for his love, well...

There was a near-silent whoosh from the living room, and he let out a quiet sigh. "I'm in my room!" he called to his mentor, not bothering to conceal his mild irritation with himself. He felt his heart leap into his throat at the knowledge Balthazar would be in his room, and immediately felt stupid for it-it was a crush with absolutely no chance of ever being confessed or requited. The elder sorcerer had Veronica, after all, even if it seemed they hadn't spoken in months-Dave certainly hadn't seen her around.

Another wave of childish glee hit hi at the sight of the other in the doorway, and he smiled, awkwardly raising his hand in a silent 'hello'. "...What happened in here?" Balthazar's eyes were widened in surprise almost comically-he'd seen Dave's room messy before, but not this bad. It was as though his closet had forcibly regurgitated all of his clothing. There was a quiet laugh from the younger of the two, and he replied, "You know that award...thing... Beck's been so happy about? She asked if I would mind escorting her even if we're just friends now, and I couldn't tell her no." he grinned and added, "They will, after all, have free cheese."*

Balthazar shook his head a bit, muttering something about wondering what society had come to if the only plausible reason to go to a ceremony was free cheese, but gave Dave a smile nonetheless, unwittingly making the brunet's stomach flip pleasantly. Aforementioned apprentice turned back to his piles of shirts and tried not to look disgusted with himself-he was an awful hero, denying Becky happiness to moon over a man-a MAN-who would never give him a second glance. So busy was he with his brooding that he didn't notice Bal swoop down and scoop up a shirt until the cloth was in front of his face. "Is this what you were looking for?"

And as David stared at the shirt, he realized that, no, it wasn't his red plaid shirt, but this one was better suited. It was a deep maroon, long sleeved button-down that would look pretty good with the slate grey tie he had in his hand. "...Thanks, Balthazar." The elder magician nodded and politely looked away as Dave yanked his teeshirt over his head in lieu of the button-up. He'd put the tie on the bed beforehand, and as he carefully buttoned the shirt, Balthazar grabbed the tie and looped it around his pupil's neck and knotted it just as fastidiously, fingers slowly coaxing the material into a nice Windsor knot. Dave finished with the buttons moments before the dirty-blond tugged the wide part of the tie through the triangular loop, and when he finished, they stayed in place a moment.

They were standing closer than they ever had before, and Dave could hear his heart pounding in his ears. He licked his lips instinctively, a nervous gesture that Balthazar locked onto immediately after. The younger of the two flushed bright red and had opened his mouth to speak when the opportunity was taken by the pressure of lips against his, an insistent tongue pressing itself against his as his mouth's openness was taken full advantage of. He made a quiet noise of shock but responded nonetheless, holding back a whimper as he felt arms go around his waist, pulling him against the other's chest. It wasn't chaste in any sense of the word other than it was pure-it was wet and slick and rapid-fire and absolutely mind-melting, but unsullied.

Dave's footing finally gave and they tumbled backwards onto the bed, though they didn't do much more than kiss more fervently. Balthazar's kisses began to slant off the younger man's mouth and down his neck now, and he moved his hands from his waist to loosen the tie a bit so he could nudge the sanguine shirt's collar over and peck along his jugular, nipping gently here and there and drawing near-melodious whimpers. The apprentice pushed his mentor back a bit and kissed him much more shyly than what he had been, and reveled in the spark he felt when his osculation was readily returned.

Until they pulled away at the sound of Dave's phone going off, he had no idea he'd gripped Balthazar's shirt in his hands so tightly, but he relinquished his hold as soon as he returned to the present. His eyes flicked up to meet emerald, full of content and confusion, and though he was strong, he could do nothing when those beautiful eyes widened as their owner got up, fleeing from the room. "Baltha...!" Dave stood and rushed after, trying hard to catch up with him, but as he stepped out into the livingroom, he heard the rush of transportation. Balthazar was gone. "...zar..."

"...Dave, are you okay? You seem kinda off tonight." Dave gave Becky a minuscule smile over the table at their favourite bistro and nodded. "I just...something unexpected happened earlier. Good unexpected, and then..." He sighed quietly and shook his head. "I don't know what happened after." Blue eyes locked onto brown piercingly, and the femme leaned closer to her friend. "...Did you get laid and walked out on?" Dave couldn't help it-he laughed. He'd explained to Becky that it wasn't her fault he wasn't interested: he was just gay, and that was that. She mourned the loss of a boyfriend, but greedily took the opportunity of a gay friend as any fashion-conscious girl would (despite Dave's protests against having any style prowess).

"No. I got kissed and walked out on. It's more the who that's making ne nervous." Becky tilted her head to the side and asked, "But who...?" "Pleasedob'tlaughatmeit'sBalthazar." A moment of silence... "What?" "I said, please don't laugh at me, it's Balthazar!" This drew a curious look, so he explained. And although Dave had expected a bad reaction, a smile crept onto Becky's face-you know that sweet smile people get when they see old people holding hands? That smile. "Quite frankly, Dave, that's adorable."

"Adorable? I'm-I'm freaking out, and all you have to say is, 'that's adorable? What if he transported somewhere I can't find him? What if he's gone and I can never tell him I enjoyed it?"

After such a statement, of course, she'd told him to check. So he walked up to the door of his mentor's shop and knocked before stepping in. "Balthazar?" An incoherent mumble answered him, and when he rounded a corner of nicknacks and whosiemawhatsits, he found the elder sorcerer slumped over a desk, writing furiously. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off. "Don't say a word. I'm sending out a message to the other Merlinians of the world asking around to see who can teach you in my stead-I'm sure all of then are going to jump at the chance, so I want to make sure the applicants are right for your-" "Wait-teaching me in your stead? Why? Where are you going?"

Apologetic green eyes looked up at him. "...I was out of line earlier, and I'm sorry. I should've controlled myself better-how can I expect to teach you what I obviously haven't mastered?-and I knew that you would come to demand a different teacher, so I'm merely taking the initiative to ask them myself instead of you asking about." "What if I didn't come to tell you I wanted a new teacher?" Balthazar raised his eyebrows, but replied, "Then it's good that I've already started, because even if you are alright with my attraction, this will happen again because you've broken the hegemony I have over my self-control." He turned back now, a quill-an actual, honest to goodness feather quill-flying across the parchment again.

With a silent gulp, Dave moved closer, leaning down to put his arms around Balthazar's shoulders and bury his face in his neck. "I don't want you to go. I don't-well, I do care that you like me, but...but not in a bad way, and...!" He was aware he was babbling. He knew he was stuttering and sputtering, and he quieted immediately when his mentor turned his head just enough to press a kiss to the top of his head. "...is that the David Stutler method of saying, 'I like you too'?" He hadn't even lifted his mouth to speak, and the way his lips made Dave's hair tickled a little. "You know, I think it is."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

*This is a bit of a personal joke. My band director, Mr. H, is part of an Arkansas Artist thingie (as he so eloquently puts it), and he was having an off day (which almost never happens. I swear to God the man was born in full dress, knowing how to press a shirt and play trombone. He'll deny it if I say that, but some days…). He'd accidentally grabbed his Arkansas Art thingie nametag instead of his Rose Bud High School one, and was laughing with us about how it didn't matter-he was leaving for one of the meetings after lunch anyway, and after all, they had free cheese. Free cheese obviously makes everything better, and the sad thing is, I can't argue with that.


End file.
